Studying law is a dream for many Hong Kong students, but the number of places for law degrees offered by the three local universities is very limited, and the demand exceeds the supply. Hong Kong has always been a city of rule of law, and many legal traditions come from the UK. Therefore, students who study law in the UK should have no problem connecting back to Hong Kong. One advantage of studying law in the UK is that it saves one year, because studying law in the UK takes three years, while studying in Hong Kong takes four years.
What are the benefits of saving one year of time?
Graduates of law school cannot practise law immediately. If they want to become practising lawyers, they need to take the PCLL course at HKU, CUHK, or CityU, which is a full-time program for one year or part-time for two years. Therefore, by saving one year of time, students can enter society earlier and have one additional year of work experience ahead of local students. After obtaining a law degree, graduates need to choose their own future direction. They can become solicitors or barristers. If graduates want to become solicitors, they need to first take the Legal Practice Course (LPC), then train for 2️ years in a law firm and pass the Professional Skills Course before they can become a practising solicitor. As for students who want to become barristers, they need to study the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), and then intern for 1️ year in a barristers' chamber. If students want to practise law in Hong Kong, they must first pass the Conversion Examination and obtain a passing score, and then study the PCLL (Postgraduate Certificate in Laws) course for 1️ year in Hong Kong. After successfully completing the course and internship, they can apply to become a practising lawyer.
Entry Requirements
If you are interested in studying law at a UK university, please note the following requirements:
- Admission criteria: HKDSE: 5*55 – 554
- IELTS: 6.5 - 7.0
- Some universities require the LNAT (The Law National Aptitude Test).
Remember to consult our professional advisors for tips on writing personal statements and which universities require the LNAT before applying.
Recommended universities (LNAT not required):
University of Warwick
University of Leeds
Queen's University Belfast
University of Manchester
The University of Edinburgh
Recommended universities (LNAT required):
Durham University
University of Glasgow
University of Bristol
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